KARACHI, April 10: The Sindh government will soon launch its computer literacy campaign in the province.

This was announced by the Sindh Governor, Mohammedmian Soomro, at the formal launch of the Internet Credit Card (ICC) held at a local hotel, on Wednesday.

The governor said that President General Pervez Musharraf is keen to promote computer literacy throughout the country, so as to make Pakistan a technologically-advanced nation in the field of IT.

He said that consistency and credibility in government polices are the only assurances that help countries progress in the direction of development and prosperity.

“The referendum to elect President Musharraf for the next five years is part of the government policy to ensure consistency and credibility of reforms introduced by the present government,” he said.

He stressed that the masses should come out of their homes on referendum day to vote for President Musharraf, as he has proved himself the only personality “whom people adore.”

Calling for creating awareness among the general public about the IT revolution, he observed that though the country is still far behind in reaping the benefits of modern technology, efforts are being made by the government to support and strengthen the infrastructure for science and technology. “Technology helps save time and paves the way for the development of nations,” he added.

The government is trying best to provide a healthy environment for business and e-trading, and it is now up to the private sector and entrepreneurs to come forward and make the best use of the facilities and infrastructure provided, he added.

He lauded the role of Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology in promoting the cause of education and IT in the country, and announced that a plan to launch the governor’s computer literacy programme in rural Sindh, in collaboration with the SSUET, is in its final stages.

Earlier, ICC Chief Executive, Tariq Ahmed Nizami, informed that the service is being introduced for the first time in Pakistan and the product would prove to be a milestone for both the Internet and its users in the country.

He stated that their organization was adding a new opportunity in the field of IT by launching the ICC facility in the country, and expressed hope that it would help users to have more easiness in accessing the Internet. He also appealed to the Internet service providers (ISPs) to improve their services to facilitate users.

The president of the Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan, Anwarul Haq, also spoke on the occasion and assured that their association would try its best to promote IT and related trends in the market.

Later, the first Internet Credit Card was issued to the Sindh Governor by the organization.—PPI